Qualcomm’s gearing up for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 launch, and this flagship chip is set to deliver serious performance gains. While efficiency improvements are modest, the overall power upgrade could redefine what flagship phones can do in 2025.

Big Reveal on September 23

Qualcomm is expected to officially unveil the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 during its Snapdragon Summit on September 23, 2025. Brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus are already testing the chipset for next-gen phones, with early benchmarks hinting at significant performance gains.

Qualcomm confirms late September launch for Snapdragon 8 Elite 2
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This release marks the final major step before the 2nm chips expected in 2026, making Gen 5 a key transitional flagship processor.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Performance Upgrades

The chip runs on TSMC’s 3nm N3P process, bringing:

  • Up to 4.74 GHz super-core speeds on premium models

  • Adreno 840 GPU @ 1.20 GHz, delivering smoother gaming

  • Early AnTuTu scores near 4M, a 50% boost over the current Snapdragon 8 Elite

  • Enhanced multitasking, faster app launches, and seamless 4K video editing

Real-world tests suggest the chip easily handles demanding workloads like gaming, streaming, and content creation without throttling.

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Leaks
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Battery Efficiency and N3P Tech

Here’s the trade-off: despite big performance gains, battery efficiency sees modest improvement. Since Qualcomm sticks to TSMC’s N3P node, energy savings are capped at around 5–10%, depending on clock speeds.

However, mobile gaming sessions may see better endurance thanks to reduced GPU power draw—down nearly 1W compared to its predecessor. Combined with upcoming silicon-carbon batteries in phones from Xiaomi, Oppo, and others, all-day power remains achievable.

What to Expect from Flagship Phones

Devices like the Galaxy S26 Edge and Xiaomi 15 Ultra are rumored to ship first with this chip, packing 5,000mAh–7,500mAh batteries. For gamers and power users, this means higher frame rates without sacrificing endurance.

The bigger leap in energy efficiency, however, won’t come until Qualcomm’s 2nm processors land in 2026. For now, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 focuses on delivering peak power.